Valve guide cleaner



April 25, 1933. L. w. JOHNSON VALVE GUIDE CLEANER Filed Dec. 9, 1929 Patented Apr.` 25, 1933 UNITED f LEONARD WQEJOHNsoN, oE EATAVIA, ILLINoIs vALvE GUIDE CLEANER My invention relatesto valve guide cleaners and method of 4making same, and has Y particular reference to a cleaner having` a head portion thereon which is adapted to remove. carbon, dirt Y and the like from ythe walls of the' guides through which the valve VVdevice shown in Figure 1;

' stems pass in the ordinary internal combustion engine. i

Another and furtherfobject of inven- 19 tion is the provision of a cleaner comprising fa cleaning head which will remove the ycarbon deposits, dirt and the like, without` re- `moving any of the metal fromthe walls of the valve stem guides. Y 1

Another and further ,object lof my invention is the provisionof a valve guide clean-` er which is composed of few parts, which is easily assembled, `and which, when lassembled, has the blades formed in such `manner that the edges thereof extend upward and outward thus bringing the edges ofthe blades into contact with the walls of the guide so-that dirt, carbon and the'like, adn

` ,1n which like reference characters refer to hering to these walls, is removed.

It will be understoodthat the valve guides are small in size, being adapted for openings ranging usually from slto'fg'of an inch indiameter. Because ofthe small` size vof `the guides it isiextremely` diflicult to provide `fasteningme'ans for` a cleanerhead to the stemfso that the cleanerswill work Veffectually and also will `not break in service. In the method which I employin makin@r the.. cleaner, the blades :forming the b the blades are slightly concave in cross sec- .,tion so that the' edges contact with the side walls ofthe valveguides. Another and further object of myinvenytion is the'provision of a valve guide'cleaner and method of making the same which provides a cleaner having the blades'so formed' that danger of breakage/of the bladesisf reduced to a minimum and the blades will have long life in the cleaner head and the stresses in themetal will be so distributed that exing of the blades will not result in their fracturing or breaking away at the tive.

cleaner head are placed under tension so that ends, thus rendering `thecleaner inoperaf4 l The free end Application( filed December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,694.

YThese and other objects will. be more fully and better understood by`reference to the accompanying sheet of drawing,pin which- Figure 1 is la side elevational view ofmy im 4roved invention; Y 55 y gure 2 is an end elevational view of the Figure 3f is an end view of-onegof the Vblades and the stem upon which the blades are`mounted5 i v i Figure 4 is a perspective viewof the end of the stem upon which the cleaner Vheadjisr mounted; and

`F`gure 5 is an elevational. View Aof the blades before they are shaped to form the i cleanerhead.`

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of theinner` end portion of the cleaner head showing amodification ofth `collar endof the head.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional View of ure 6. Y .I

Referring specifically to the and are inclined to the,longitudinal axis ofthe 180 A stem 10 and are flat Vto form seats for the" blades as hereinaftertdescribed, with shouL rders-12, 12 formed'at the sides of the faces against which the edges of Athe blades are litted. A projection 13 is` formed on lthe85 ,end of the stem and which projects outward therefrom in alignment with lthe Ilongitudi- `nal axis of the'stem-lO.

The cutting head fof the cleaner is formed from avblankV (Fig. 5) having a base portion 90 14 from which a plurality of blades 15, 15 project, these blades Y15. extending yawayil from the portion 14 in an' angular direction,

preferablygfrom 45 to 60 i degrees, depending upon the size ofthe cleaner. `lForayms cleaner for a 5,.-'bo1e.the"preferableLangle for thesebladesis 60 degrees, and for theyg i yand fg sizes. the

preferable angle is 45 degrees.

s ofatheiblades are :angu- I m0 i 'f5 if;

Y Qlarlydisposedwith reference toit-he bodyof the bladesl, the angularity of these portions ofY the blades depending ,fuponY the Y ab l greataIId the work'performe'd by tbe blades.

angle of the blades 15 with respect to the member 14, but inany event they are turned so that they extendat a right angle to the member :14;r` The ends 16' ofthe blades 15 have arcuate shaped recesses 1'2"V formed "therein and are inwardly turned to. engage over the end ofthe stem 1Q with the end 16 abutting the projection '13 formedon the stem 10 which fits into the recessesl?, ,The base portion 14 at one of its edges. has a recess 18 formed thereinV adapted to; receiveVv a projection19 formedat the opposite side thereof. Thebase ymerrrber14 is formedv 1n- 'toawcollanf preferably vround so as lto' conforrn' toi-theshape vofff'thestem 1()4` uponA 'which itis-slid'ably mounted,V The' areaofV flexureinthe blades at'theirrrear ends i'sfso i is so Ynnuchgreater nearftheforward end of 'the cleaner head', thatl l haveffound it unnecessary toi'atten tbis'base member onits sides, althoughthis may be done if desired,

f thus formingza triangular' shaped cellarl Vif three blades areused."

' jangularly therefrom sott-iat thefhead assumes somewhat the'shape ofr a tripod; The b'ase1nember14, novv=shaped intoa collar, isslippedi over'.` 'the "stenivlO and the operator thereupon takes eachofthe blades 153 andv places rthem '1i-rider tension bywindlin-g them in the spiral form as' shown. in Figure 1,

at-the same time slightly'twisting the blades Y lurrtil the 'endportions 161 are yalignment A`V`'with tleaxisfof the vstein-.10, whereupon rtliese blades are fitted against the 'seats1f11,'

-11 formed inthe -end offthe-stemj 1(3). 'A

portion'o'f the-"end 16T of the blades isthere- "uponfbentdownward over-*' the' endfoflth'c I --stemf 101 with the lrecessed 4portions 117' Vbeing ittedagainst fthestud 13:4. A 'cap` 2Qv is k projV gvidedfwhiclr'is triangular in shapefandfhas an-opening 21 theend thereof through #which theV projectionjlon the end `ofi the'V stent vr10?;isfjyadapted! V1to1 pro'jectg,lZVhen-y the 4cap 20 is fitted into position;the.projection` Y"lxffisf upset on the end by `a blow 'frema hammer sof that thecap 20 is heldiffrmlyfifn position "with,V respect to the'stem 1D; Y Y

@After the memberr14 isgfashifoned into -a into anellipticalfform in cross section, that fis, coneaveon theirV outer sides and `convex on their sinner; sides so that thefec'lgesI of the f rate-5 blades .15@ project outward as 4shown:'in

tion..

of the guide'openings'is'suiicient to remove Fie-rre The eegesferj-thetimes-prega; i

ing outward form ,the cutting Vportions whenthe device is inserted intofan opening, this condition of the blades being brought aboutby the angularity of theblades 15` with respect to the 'base member 514', and twisting them into position as described, so

that the ends 16; are.7i n1alignrnent `with the v'axisY of the base collar 14.V VThe/blades 1 5 arealsoelongated slightly during Ythis op'- eration, that is,they` are distorted in a longitudinal direction, thus putting tension on 1 the blades-,15 and resulting in the cleaning j Y.

headf'bei'ng longer than if` the'blades 15 were merely wrapped. or turned( in such the angularityl of the blades with respect to the base.14. Thistensroningof thelblades also causes them to bulgeV along their middle portionsfandf to assume a jlii'errel-like forma'-A In fashining the cutting head in theV :manner v deseribed, the bladesl: remain flat at theirforwardJ ends; andare only very. slightly ycurved at their'rear ends adjacent the bas@ Portion 14. The, smallest area fof fiexure of the bladesisattheir forward ends where the bladesfseatgupon' the flat facesl 11;. of the stem 10; Ifthe blades were 55 i' y arcuate shaped `at their forward; ends Vand vvseated uponf a curved surface, the constant Vflexing of the 'blades 'in a smalliarea of the `blade would' set up meta-l lfatigue very quick'- .ly resulting@ in the breaking vof the? lf'ilades''mY The'main burden of the work performed by the cutting head is' `attbe..'forward end, Y Y Y where' the Vbladesarefxed against'. longi-- tudinal movement and-fitherefore' to yinsure Pf -l'ong' lifeandr service the `bladesare sea-ted 305; -uponv the flatifsurfa-ce andareflat atthese `i' lends. f The collar,- portion114 slides uponthef i 'l 'stein 10 lso that at Ythe-.rearend ofthe; cutf fV tingfheadV the' areal' of VleX'ur'e v.of the blades Y is greaterthan at theirfforwardends', Yand @10, 'when the head', isl conrpresse'd: Yit slightly-" yelongates thus creating' some 'flezur'ef in the bl'ades'ina longitudinal 'directionaswell as n l'a veryslight amount' in a transverse direc-V ftion;vn f Alfter .the device fi'sf, fashioned into the"l form shown in Figure 1, as hereindescribed, while thev cuttingvhead isi ina-soft flexible j condition, theblades 'areheat `treated, or

`temperedso'V that they vare== substantially springgsteel and'very hard, .to renderithem Y Y "long lived and: afford suiicient resistance to f collarA formitheblades v15,".15 are turned wvinto spiral 'formas sho-wnnr Figure'v 1., theA `'blades 175', -asivtheyfaretwisted, are forced the acoum'ulrated'dirt yand 'carbon therefrom;

the drawing wherein 'the mannerv that their angles'with respect tothe 0 5%255- The flattened Vfeature }of,1the collar v14, s hereinbefore' referredjtmhasbeenshownjn #stern 10is'eirrei1lar asjusual, butrthe cellar1*j` l4 has been flattenedinto triangular;shape'ffmto accommodate the three blades one for each flat side ofthe collar. It Willbe understood that thetriangular collar has a slidable fit upon the stem and may be rotated thereon if necessary, just the same as the cylindrical collar 14, toaccommodate the movements of the blades When the blades are accommodating themselves to the fsize of rthe opening being cleaned. Each blade is flat Where it joins the adja- V cent flat side of the collar thereby reducing Yao the liability ofbreakage at the juncture of the blade and the collar.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not Wish to be understood as limit-ing myself thereto, as I contemplate `changes in form Vand the proportion of parts and the substi# tution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient Without departing from the spirit'or scope of my invention.

-I claim:

l. A valve guide cleaner comprising in 1 combination, a cleaner head having a plus rality of spirally extending blades integrally formed With a collar portion, the said collar portion having iat faces adjacent the ends 0f the said blades, a stem having a 'plurality of flat faces formed thereon, and an end cap fitted over the free ends of the said blades and secured to said stem.

2. A valve guide cleaner comprising in combination, a cleaner head having a connecting portion and a plurality of blades 1n angular relation to said connecting portion,

a stem having a plurality of angularly disposed flat faces thereon, an end collar, and means on said stem for engagement With the said collar.

3. A valve guide cleaner comprising in combination, a cleaner head having a connecting portionand a pluralityof Vbladesdepending therefrom in an` angular direction, each of said blades having end portions formed at right angles to the Vlongi- Aes cleaner head and the end Vofthe said stem.

the end of the said stem.

v 5. .A valve guide cleaner comprising in combination, a cleaner head having a connectingk portion and a plurality of blades depending therefrom in an angular direction, each of said'bladeshaving end portionsl formed at right anglesto the longitudinal plane of said connecting member and being fashioned into spiral formand placed undertension'vvhen the head is form-` ed, a stem having a plurality of Hat angularly positioned seats therein, a collar, and means carried by said stem whereby the said collar is held over the end of the blades of the cleaner head and the end of the 'said stem. Y f

6. A valve guide cleaner comprising in combination, a cleaner head having a connecting portion anda plurality of blades depending therefrom in'a'n angular direction, each of said blades having endpor` tions'formed at right angles to the longitudinal plane lof said connecting member and.

being fashioned into spiral form andtvvisted` l i upon themselves', Aa stem having a plurality of flat angularly positioned seats therein, a collar,vand meanscarried by said stem whereby the said collar is held over thev end of the blades of the cleaner head and Y 7. A cleaning head blank, comprising base portion, and a plurality of blades ex' Y tending therefrom, the said blades beingfree at their ends opposite the base portion.

8. vA valve guide cleaner comprisingv a i106 i" stem having la plurality of face'sfformed thereonat one of its ends, and a cleaning element formed of a single pieceof metal' into a plurality of blades, each having onel end free,the free ends of the bladesbeing iiXedly secured to said stemf on the respective faces thereof,` the"v said .cleaning {elementi having a` collar portion formed at onep'end 'i thereof freely movableon said stem.f

Signed at Chicago, of December, 1929.

4. A valve guide cleaner comprising in f combination, a cleaner head having a connecting portion and -a plurality of blades dependingtherefrom in an angular direc, tion, each of said bladesv having end Vportions formed at right angles to the longi- -tudinal plane of said connecting member and being fashioned into spiral form, a stem having a pluralityof-flat angularly posiv tioned seats therein, a collar, and means carried by said stem whereby the said collar is held over theend of the blades of the cleaner head andthe end of the said stem.

nunon, misah dayV 1.1,), ,j LnoNARD W. JoiiNisoN'. 

